medicine.” She paused and studied Lady Forsythe’s demeanor. “You seem a bit agitated today, my lady. Perhaps you’re not better after all?”
“Of course I’m better. I just need a bit more of the medicine. But tell me, what was that I heard you saying? Something about Her Majesty and a royal presence?”
“Of course not, MaMa,” Nicholas said. “Dr. Gladstone said your presence causes as much excitement in Newton-upon-Sea as would the presence of Her Majesty. Isn’t that what you said, Dr. Gladstone?”
“Something of the sort,” Alexandra answered.
“Well, I should think there’s enough excitement in Newton-upon-Sea without me,” Lady Forsythe said with a fidgety wave of her hand. “What is this I hear about some poor woman being murdered in the graveyard?”
“How did you hear that story?” Nicholas asked.
“Oh, you know how the servants talk. But why did it have to happen now? Now, of all times, when the…when I have a guest in the house.” Lady Forsythe was growing more and more ruffled.
“I’m quite sure your guest won’t be affected in any way, MaMa.”
“She was some sort of medium, they say. The woman who was murdered, I mean.” Lady Forsythe gave her coverlet an agitated push.
“Medium?” Nicholas said, glancing at Alexandra with raised eyebrows.
“Talks to spirits. That sort of thing.” Her Ladyship’s eyes had become brighter, making Alexandra fear she was working herself into a fever.
“Lady Forsythe, please, you must not allow yourself to become so unsettled,” Alexandra said.
“Oh, I suppose you’re right.” Lady Forsythe sighed dramatically. “Perhaps you’ll have to give me a bit more laudanum. That’s the only thing that seems to calm me. Other than Madam Cudney. Hannah, my maid, has left suddenly. To care for her ailing mother. Or is it her father? Nevertheless, Madam Cudney has been kind enough to help. I can’t keep imposing upon her, of course. Not when she’s here at the pleasure of…well, what I mean is…”
“Madam Cudney?” Alexandra asked, at the same time giving Nicholas a questioning look.
“Madam Cudney accompanied MaMa’s guest to Montmarsh,” Nicholas said.
“Oh, I see. A servant, perhaps,” Alexandra said.
“Companion,” Lady Forsythe said.
“She is a comfort to you?” Alexandra asked.
“Oh, very much so,” Lady Forsythe assured her. “Her voice is so soothing. Not only when she reads to me, but she often tells the most amusing stories. No, I don’t mean amusing exactly, but well…satisfying. Comforting, I should say.”
“Then perhaps you can persuade your guest to allow Madam Cudney to sit with you for a few moments each day. If it works, I suspect that would be much more beneficial to your body than laudanum,” Alexandra said.
“I couldn’t possibly ask Her…my guest to spare her.” Lady Forsythe sounded indignant. “You seem to be saying all I need is nothing more than a relaxing conversation. If that’s the case, then why do we pay physicians? I’m quite certain my own Dr. Smythson would never say anything so ridiculous.”
Alexandra tried to ignore the insult. “May I have a look at the lesions?” she asked, while at the same time signaling Nicholas to leave.
“Hmmff!” Lady Forsythe said. “I don’t see why you would bother if you think my ailment is nothing more than…Oh, that’s quite soothing.”
Alexandra applied the zinc ointment while Lady Forsythe closed her eyes and seemed to relax for the first time. Her eyes flew open when a soft tapping sounded on her bedroom door.
“Who is it?” she called.
The door opened slightly and a rosy-cheeked plump face appeared around the edge of the door. “Is Her Ladyship indisposed?” The voice and the plump face belonged to a round-shaped woman who opened the door a little wider.
“Madam Cudney! Is that you? Come in, please,” Lady Forsythe called.
“If you’re busy, my lady, I can visit you another time. I only wanted to satisfy
“Of course I’m better. I just need a bit more of the medicine. But tell me, what was that I heard you saying? Something about Her Majesty and a royal presence?”
“Of course not, MaMa,” Nicholas said. “Dr. Gladstone said your presence causes as much excitement in Newton-upon-Sea as would the presence of Her Majesty. Isn’t that what you said, Dr. Gladstone?”
“Something of the sort,” Alexandra answered.
“Well, I should think there’s enough excitement in Newton-upon-Sea without me,” Lady Forsythe said with a fidgety wave of her hand. “What is this I hear about some poor woman being murdered in the graveyard?”
“How did you hear that story?” Nicholas asked.
“Oh, you know how the servants talk. But why did it have to happen now? Now, of all times, when the…when I have a guest in the house.” Lady Forsythe was growing more and more ruffled.
“I’m quite sure your guest won’t be affected in any way, MaMa.”
“She was some sort of medium, they say. The woman who was murdered, I mean.” Lady Forsythe gave her coverlet an agitated push.
“Medium?” Nicholas said, glancing at Alexandra with raised eyebrows.
“Talks to spirits. That sort of thing.” Her Ladyship’s eyes had become brighter, making Alexandra fear she was working herself into a fever.
“Lady Forsythe, please, you must not allow yourself to become so unsettled,” Alexandra said.
“Oh, I suppose you’re right.” Lady Forsythe sighed dramatically. “Perhaps you’ll have to give me a bit more laudanum. That’s the only thing that seems to calm me. Other than Madam Cudney. Hannah, my maid, has left suddenly. To care for her ailing mother. Or is it her father? Nevertheless, Madam Cudney has been kind enough to help. I can’t keep imposing upon her, of course. Not when she’s here at the pleasure of…well, what I mean is…”
“Madam Cudney?” Alexandra asked, at the same time giving Nicholas a questioning look.
“Madam Cudney accompanied MaMa’s guest to Montmarsh,” Nicholas said.
“Oh, I see. A servant, perhaps,” Alexandra said.
“Companion,” Lady Forsythe said.
“She is a comfort to you?” Alexandra asked.
“Oh, very much so,” Lady Forsythe assured her. “Her voice is so soothing. Not only when she reads to me, but she often tells the most amusing stories. No, I don’t mean amusing exactly, but well…satisfying. Comforting, I should say.”
“Then perhaps you can persuade your guest to allow Madam Cudney to sit with you for a few moments each day. If it works, I suspect that would be much more beneficial to your body than laudanum,” Alexandra said.
“I couldn’t possibly ask Her…my guest to spare her.” Lady Forsythe sounded indignant. “You seem to be saying all I need is nothing more than a relaxing conversation. If that’s the case, then why do we pay physicians? I’m quite certain my own Dr. Smythson would never say anything so ridiculous.”
Alexandra tried to ignore the insult. “May I have a look at the lesions?” she asked, while at the same time signaling Nicholas to leave.
“Hmmff!” Lady Forsythe said. “I don’t see why you would bother if you think my ailment is nothing more than…Oh, that’s quite soothing.”
Alexandra applied the zinc ointment while Lady Forsythe closed her eyes and seemed to relax for the first time. Her eyes flew open when a soft tapping sounded on her bedroom door.
“Who is it?” she called.
The door opened slightly and a rosy-cheeked plump face appeared around the edge of the door. “Is Her Ladyship indisposed?” The voice and the plump face belonged to a round-shaped woman who opened the door a little wider.
“Madam Cudney! Is that you? Come in, please,” Lady Forsythe called.
“If you’re busy, my lady, I can visit you another time. I only wanted to satisfy
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